I demand that Peninsula Regional Medical Center reconsider the unfortunate decision to remove Dr. Mary Beth Lindsay's obstetric admitting priviledges. I believe the loss of Dr. Lindsay's practice will deliver a devastating blow to the availiability of quality obsetric care on the Eastern Shore. 

The impact of this decision reaches beyond those who wish to choose Dr. Lindsay, as the loss of her practice has resulted in the loss of Dr. Elizabeth Pernal's practice as well.  These two private practices were the ONLY private OB practices in Salisbury, representing the only options for women who wanted to choose a single care provider with whom to build a relationship throughout a pregnancy. I feel this is a great loss to our community and the medical center. 

Dr. Mary Beth Lindsay is a strong and valuable asset to Peninsula Regional Medical Center.  Dr. Lindsay is a competent and caring physician with a reputation for considering the whole patient, not just the pregnancy.  At the hospital as well as in the office, Dr. Lindsay is known to take the time to ensure her patients understand their care and she makes every effort to meet her patients' needs safely. Her association with the Joseph House is also an invaluable resource for patients.

The ripple effect of the decision to revoke Dr. Lindsay's obestrical priviledges does not stop with her patients alone. As a direct result of this unacceptable decision, our community will also lose another exceptional physican: Dr. Elizabeth Pernal.  Dr. Pernal's obsterical practice cannot continue without Dr. Lindsay's continued practice, as Dr. Pernal made clear in a recent open letter to the Editor, indicating that she has no choice but to end her OB practice given the lack of coverage effective the end of the year.

The loss of these two private practices will mean that the women of our community will have NO CHOICE in OB service, as there will be only one remaining OB practice available in Salisbury. This loss of choice means the loss of the option to have a female-only OB treatment (a major consideration for the large Muslim population) and the loss of the option to have a single practioner with whom a relationship can be built throughout a pregnancy.  This loss of choice will result in many women choosing to seek medical care outside of the Salisbury area, instead using Easton Memorial, Nanticoke Memorial or Beebee Medical Center.

The decision to revoke Dr. Mary Beth Lindsay's obestrical priviledges needs to be recinded, and both Dr. Linsday and Dr. Pernal must be able to continue their practices for the sake of the community, the associated practices and the hospital at large.